Spring in OSOT

Spring has arrived and with it comes new adventures!  This semester we are entering the world of fieldwork!  You might be wondering what fieldwork is....  Fieldwork is the opportunity to follow Occupational Therapists in their respective settings where we are encouraged to apply the knowledge we have acquired in the program.  This opportunity allows us to further investigate prospective settings that we may be interesting in practicing.  As first year Masters students, this fieldwork assignment is more of an introduction into field of practice.  However, I know we are all excited to be more hands on.

Now what would school be without classes?  Not only are we introduced to fieldwork, but we are also introduced to Neuroscience, Pediatrics, Mental Health and Occupational Therapy in Rehabiliation.  As I type these words, neurons are firing at lighting rates.  Needless to say, once you take Neuroscience you will never think about the brain the same way!   In our Occupational Performance and Assessment of Infants, Children and Adolescents class, we inspect pediatric assessment tools and discover ways to develop interventions and treatment goals using theories and models of practice in Pediatric Occupational Therapy.  Our Mental Health class explores the building of a healthy therapeutic relationship, the various degrees of mental health and helps us understand different psychological diseases that can be accompanied with our patients.  Occupational therapy in Rehabiliation examines the various interventions and assessments that we use as Occupational Therapist in a Rehabiliation setting.  This class utilizes hands on experience within the lab to help create a sense of capability.  

This semester is another chapter in the book of our careers as occupational therapists.  We are starting to  develop and utilize our professional reasoning skills.  We look forward to the challenges, expectations and most importantly.... the fun!  

Here are a few things to look forward to later this semester:  Disability Awareness Week (March 19th-23rd), April is Occupational Therapy Month, the AOTA Annual Conference is in Indianapolis this year April 26th-29th and SOTA (Student Occupational Therapy Association) at SLU has already starting planning for the road trip to the conference.

Remember, if you have any questions about the program, don’t hesitate to e-mail us!
E-mails can be found below on the previous blog.

And check out  St. Louis University Dept of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy NOW on Facebook! 
Facebook: SLU Occupational Therapy 

Welcome & Meet Our New Bloggers!

Welcome to the 2011-2012 Occupational Therapy school year at Saint Louis University!  This semester we are starting a new way to inform and promote a variety of things relating to Occupational Therapy.  As first year Master students, we are developing this blog and updating it periodically to include information pertaining to current students and those interested in SLU’s Occupational Therapy program.  We are very excited to keep this blog updated and want to provide our email addresses for anyone interested in the program to contact us if you have questions.

Holly VanderSchaaf hvander1@slu.edu
Caryn Murray cmurra21@slu.edu
Ryan Montgomery rmontgo2@slu.edu

Hi Everyone!
My name is Caryn.  I am looking forward to starting my first experience as a blogger.  As an OT student, I have learned that part of Occupational Therapy’s wide area of focus includes looking at individuals and seeing what makes up that person, including their interests, values, beliefs, past experiences, environment, and much more.  I want to give a blurb with a little background info on me.  I believe it would only be natural to give a brief insight of my previous experiences.  This can also give you an idea on how I might approach things and how you can utilize me (and my fellow OT student bloggers) to help you develop your sense of self particularly relating to your journey into the world of Occupational Therapy!
I was born in SE Texas.  My family (two loving parents, an older brother & two younger sisters) and I moved to a small town in north central Arkansas when I was 11 years old.  I received my bachelor degree in Psychology at the University of Arkansas in 2008.  The spring semester of my sophomore year, I decided I wanted to become an Occupational Therapist.  I first heard about OT while I was a baby-sitter for a family with a child with Down syndrome, but I really didn’t consider it until I did more research on my own.   Even after deciding OT, I still sought out volunteer experiences to confirm my decision before applying to graduate school.  I did a volunteer year with the Vincentian Service Corp working at an adult day care center here in St. Louis shortly after my undergrad.   I really enjoyed it but I still wanted to find other volunteer programs because I personally felt I wasn’t ready to go back to school just yet.  I then moved to Chicago to live and work as a therapy aide at Misericordia, a long-term care facility for children and adults with developmental disabilities.   While in Chicago I started applying to different OT schools until I was accepted and began SLU’s program this past May.

Hello All,
My name is Ryan and I am a thirty year old female, the name is a bit deceiving. .  I am a native of St. Louis.  And for those of you who are from St. Louis, I went to Rosati-Kain High School.  I am very excited to blog about my experiences as a masters student in the Occupational Therapy Program at Saint Louis University!  So just to give you a bit of my story, I previously graduated from SLU in 2003 with a bachelor degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  After I graduated, I wasn’t sure  if this truly was the profession of my dreams, so I chose to work in sales before I made any major moves.  I spoke with a few friends who are in the OT field and they aided my decision to become an Occupational Therapist.  With more research, I decided that this would be a good field for me to go into.  I love helping people and there are so many areas of practice, anyone with a caring heart who is  interested can find their place in this field.  I committed myself and took all the necessary prerequisites, which took a year and a half.  I was accepted to the program in 2010 and was placed on the waiting list for a year.  In May of 2011, I began the OT program at SLU and I am so happy with my decision.  So if you get placed on the waiting list, don’t be discouraged take that time to prepare yourself for this new adventure believe me it’s worth it!

Hey!  My name is Holly VanderSchaaf.  I am 25 years old and was born/raised in a suburb of Orlando, FL called Lake Mary.  When I was 17, I moved up to Bourbonnais, IL to attend Olivet Nazarene University.  In 2007, I transferred to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  As I was finishing up my senior year about to graduate with my Bachelors in Psychology, I stumbled across Occupational Therapy in a personality book.  I had never heard of the field and wanted to learn more.  After doing some of my own research, I fell in love with it and knew this the kind of career I wanted.  I originally planned on either going for my Masters in Social Work or Counseling.  The part of OT that I enjoy the most is being able to be there for someone going through a hard time.  I will be able to help them develop, grow, or adapt to their situation.  I enjoy the mental health aspect of life and Occupational Therapy.  Also, with healthcare, it can be hard to find someone who will actual listen to you and with OT, we pride ourselves on really listening and catering to our patients/clients.  After I graduated in December 2009, I had to take 8 extra pre-reqs in order to even apply to the program.  I spent the next year and half taking those classes, working two jobs, volunteering, studying for the GRE, and getting my application ready.  I was accepted at SLU February of this year and began in May.  It has been a long journey to get to where I am today, but it was definitely worth the time and sacrifices I’ve made.  I love Occupational Therapy and the opportunities in this field.

Faculty Practice Social Skills Group Featured on SLU.edu

This week, the Saint Louis University website features a piece about the teen social skills group organized by Jeanne Eichler. Professor Eichler currently teaches juniors and post baccalaureate masters students in the combined BSOS/MOT program, but also functions as the department's clinical faculty. Check out the link below to learn more about the group and student volunteers:

http://www.slu.edu/x39561.xml

Julie Holmes Award for Professional Excellence in Service to the Community

Graduating MOT student Lindsey Scoles is this year's recipient of the Julie Holmes Award for Professional Excellence in Service to the Community.

The award is in tribute to Julie Holmes, a 1998 graduate from the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. Ms. Holmes’s legacy is that of a passionate young woman in service to those with disabilities, especially children and their families.  This award recognizes the exceptional student occupational therapist that characterizes and exemplifies Ms. Holmes’s commitment to volunteerism and spirit of advocacy for occupational justice.

Please join the department in congratulating Lindsey on this achievement!

Teen Connection in Post Dispatch

Click here to check out today's article on SLU OT's Teen Connection!

Doisy College of Health Sciences Precommencement Ceremony

This past Thursday, Doisy College of Health Sciences students celebrated the completion of their degrees at the Precommencement ceremony held in Chaifetz arena. The Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy celebrated the graduation of 34 students with their Bachelors of Science in Occupational Science and 53 students with their Master of Occupational Therapy! BSOS students will be back at Precommencement next year to walk for their MOT degree, and Masters students will spend the next month completing their fieldwork sessions. We wish luck to all of our new graduates and look forward to seeing our most recent alumni in the future!

Student Occupational Therapy Association Barbecue

Earlier this month, SLU/SOTA, Saint Louis University's Student Occupational Therapy Association, celebrated the election of new SLU/SOTA board members at a barbecue hosted by Professor Jeanne Eichler. These new members will continue to serve the purpose of SLU/SOTA and enhance students' understanding of occupational therapy through professional, educational, and community and social activities. Each year, SLU/SOTA facilitates opportunities for camaraderie among students and provides meaningful, productive interaction with faculty.

The new SLU/SOTA board members are as follows:

President: Julie Spychala
Secretary: Samantha Simmons
Vice President: Katie Kuemmel
Treasurer: Ashley Welman
Education/Volunteer Chair: Megan McCray
Social Chair: Theresa Rudolph
Fundraising Chair: Katie Conner
Disability Awareness Week:  Chair: Mary Georgen
                                       Co-Chairs - Jess Hauert & Sam Simmons

Congratulations to all of our new SLU/SOTA officers and we look forward to their contributions this upcoming academic year!